


Worth the wait

by bookl0ver



Category: EastEnders (TV)
Genre: Anniversary, Cute, Don't copy to another site, Fluff, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-13
Updated: 2020-09-13
Packaged: 2021-03-07 02:08:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,336
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26429137
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bookl0ver/pseuds/bookl0ver
Summary: Ben and Callum celebrate their second anniversary.
Relationships: Callum "Halfway" Highway/Ben Mitchell
Comments: 14
Kudos: 56
Collections: ballum lockdown





	Worth the wait

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Yougaythen](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Yougaythen/gifts).



> Written as my gift for the lovely Charlie for the ballum lockdown gift exchange. 
> 
> Some innuendo, No other warnings apply. 
> 
> Enjoy!

“Ben can I take the blindfold off now?” 

“No,” Ben laughed, finally turning off of the motorway. “Again, you can take it off when we get there and not before.” 

“Do I at least get a hint?” 

Ben laughed and placed a hand on Callum’s thigh, giving him a quick squeeze. Callum had asked these questions at least once every five minutes since they had set off well over an hour ago. 

It was their anniversary and Ben had wanted to spoil them both. Over a year of heartache, with deafness and surgery, crimes and career changes, injuries and more general grief than he was sure most people dealt with in a lifetime. Finally it was all over, and Ben had decided to make their anniversary – the anniversary of their kiss outside of the Vic in front of everyone, where they first showed their commitment to each other, because they had no idea when actually constituted an official anniversary – as special as they both deserved. Technically it was their second anniversary, but with lockdown still being a thing, Ben recovering from his operation and Callum just getting into things at work they hadn’t really been able to celebrate or even think about it the first year.

Now, as he pulled into the little cottage he had booked for them for the whole weekend, he felt content, confident that it was all behind them. 

He switched the car off and laughed openly at Callum’s excited head turn, his big hands reaching up to remove the blindfold. 

“Not yet babe,” Ben grinned, pressing Callum’s hands back down into his lap, leaning over to kiss at his boyfriend’s cheek. “Want you to see it all in one go.” 

“You’re torturing me!” Callum whined, pouting at his boyfriend. His dimples gave away his amusement however, and Ben couldn’t resist poking a finger into the adorable dip. 

“Wait here, I’ll get the bags sorted then get ya.” Ben informed him. Callum listened to him getting out of the car, the door slamming shut. He jumped about a mile and bashed his head on the roof when Ben clamped a hand down on his opposite shoulder through the open window. “Shit sorry babe, didn’t mean to scare you. I was just gonna say, don’t sneak a peek, or else.” 

Callum rubbed at his sore head and nodded. “Yeah yeah, understood.” 

Ben gave him an apologetic squeeze and returned to sorting the bags out, taking them into the cottage and in the bedroom, dumping them there. It didn’t matter, Callum would only redo any unpacking he attempted. His boyfriend had a clean streak as long as his delectable arms, and Ben did not meet his army-level standards. 

As advertised, the fridge and cupboards were fully stocked, and when he poked his head into the beautiful garden there was exactly what he had hoped for. Yes, this weekend away was going to be amazing. 

Returning to the car he found Callum blindly fiddling with the radio, trying to tune it, and he grinned. What Callum was doing was so obvious. 

“You’re not trying to guess where we are, are you Cal? You’ll ruin your surprise.” Callum froze, mouth curling into a guilty smile. “Come on, out you get.” 

Callum climbed out of the car, guided by Ben’s firm hands, which took occasional – but “completely necessary, I don’t want you to fall over babe!” – wanders from Callum’s arms to grope at his bum and chest. 

“Are you gonna let me take this thing off at some point Ben, or am I spending the weekend like this?” Callum asked, following Ben’s hands, ears pricked up to try and guess where he was. Ben’s desire to be mysterious, as much as it frustrated him, had him excited and curious. Never a dull moment, even when they were at the height of their domesticity. 

“Okay, take it off.” 

_Finally._ Dark fabric slipped away and Callum blinked against the comparative brightness of the bedroom he was stood in, looking around in confusion. 

“This is... nice,” He said, trying to hide how underwhelmed he felt. It was nice. Quaint, small pretty windows, matching, intricate chest, wardrobe and four poster bed, fluffy brown carpet beneath his feet. It was more than nice, was lovely but it wasn’t what he’d been expecting, with all of Ben’s hints and mystery. 

Arms folded, Ben watched him, saw that adorable crease of confusion in his forehead, the downward turn of his lips before he caught himself and painted a grin on his face. “You really like it?” He asked, pulling at his cheeks with his teeth. 

Instantly Callum turned to him. “Course!” Oh, how on earth Callum had managed to actually hide himself for twenty eight years Ben would never know, because he was a terrible liar. “It’s so... romantic! Really, um cosy.” 

Not wanting to be cruel, Ben burst out laughing, grabbing Callum into a hug and laughing all the harder at the utter bafflement on his face. “Ben, what?” 

“Oh Cal,” Ben cupped his cheeks and pressed a kiss to his lips. “You’re so sweet. This isn’t the surprise baby.” 

Blue eyes watched him incredulously for a moment before a relieved smile lit up Callum’s face. “You bastard!” He grinned, no heat in the words, and slapped at Ben’s arm. “I really thought this was it.” 

“Don’t get me wrong babe, we will be spending a _lot_ of time in here. That chest is just the right height to bend you over, and those big posts on the bed... Well. You’ll soon find out. But no, you’re in here cos I need you to get changed.” Callum had blushed, looking around the room and spotting the mounds of potential it held. Whilst he pondered the possibilities, Ben pressed a pair of swimming trunks into his hands. 

“It’s October.” 

“Yes babe, I am aware.” Ben answered patiently, gesturing at him and the trunks pointedly. Still a bit confused, Callum obediently began undressing, squirming under Ben’s appreciative gaze. Trunks finally on, Ben handed him the blindfold again. Rolling his eyes he slipped the blindfold back on and let Ben lead him, his boyfriend taking advantage of his exposed skin again, unable to resist any opportunity to touch Callum up. 

Cool air hit his skin and he shivered. “Ben?” 

“Gimme a sec Callum,” Ben chirped, kissing Callum’s shoulder and dashing off to get changed himself and then fiddle with the settings and electrics, making sure that it was absolutely perfect – and getting a bit distracted by the sight of Callum in his trunks, long legs and toned stomach, waiting for him, vulnerable and trusting and entirety his. 

“Okay,” Ben said, voice wavering slightly. He clutched his fists together, running a cautious hand over everything to triple check all was well. “Take it off.” 

Knowing that Ben was eager for him to see whatever this second surprise is, Callum deliberately moved slowly, raising his arms and lifting the strap of the blindfold off of his ears, then pulled it away from his face. He drifted his arms down, and paused for a few seconds before fluttering his eyes open. 

The air escaped his lungs in an amazed gasp as he took in what Ben had prepared. 

A large garden, with flowers lining the perimeter stretched out in front of him, as bright and beautiful as autumn in England could be. On his left was a huge wooden gazebo, lit up against the darkness of the evening sky by several strands of twinkling fairy lights, illuminating Ben in a soft glow, and the tub beside him. Callum’s eyes widened to Disney proportions as he realised why he’d heard the faint bubbling of water and hum of electronics. 

Ben was stood behind a large jacuzzi, in his own trunks, a bottle of champagne and two champagne flutes in his hands. Blue eyes were wide and focused on Callum’s face, darting as they searched his expression, and he was biting at his lip. 

“Ben...” Callum forced out, coughing over the lump in his throat. He stared around at the garden once more, taking a step forward and grabbing hold of the beam of the gazebo, gazing at Ben. 

“Happy anniversary Cal,” Ben smiled softly, putting the champagne down on the table beside him and pulling Callum into his arms, his boyfriend pressing an urgent kiss to his lips. 

“You did all this for me?” Callum panted when they parted, foreheads resting against each other. 

“I’d do anything for you. For us.” 

A small noise escaped Callum and he pulled him close again, wrapping him into a hug, their bodies pressing together tightly. “I love you.” 

Chilly autumn air eventually forced them apart, Ben guiding Callum into the jacuzzi. His long limbs flopped and went lax, head tilting back and a moan of pure delight and contentment escaping him as he sunk in amongst the warm jets. Ben watched fondly, those pretty blue eyes fluttering closed as he relaxed, water lapping over his skin. Were it not for the cool breeze he’d have been happy to stand there all day and watch the man he loved. But when a shiver went through him, goose bumps forming on his exposed arms, he hurriedly hit play on the small sound system he’d brought for them, a playlist already set up with his and Callum’s favourite songs, snatched up the champagne and joined his boyfriend. 

He thanked his lucky stars that his speech processor was an expensive one – paid for with Phil’s money, the one good thing his dad had probably ever done for him – and so was waterproof, as he listened to the music and Callum’s happy little noises. 

“Thought you weren’t botherin'" Callum said, popping one eye open as Ben settled in beside him, also letting out a content noise at the warm and soothing effect of the water. “Mmm, this is nice.” 

A glass of champagne was pressed into his hand, and he opened his eyes properly this time to find Ben gazing at him, blue eyes sparkling and lips curled into a soft smile. 

“You’re so beautiful Cal,” He whispered, always quiet in his verbal affection. The hand not holding his own glass settled around Callum’s shoulders, thumb brushing his shoulder. 

“You ain’t too bad yourself.” Callum winked – or rather, blinked – at him, giggling when Ben scowled and dug the hand around his shoulder into his armpit, making Callum squirm. “Okay okay! You’re gorgeous too Ben. Just don’t wanna inflate your ego any more than it already is.” 

“You know what they say,” Ben started, returning his hand to rest on Callum’s shoulder. “Big ego, big -" 

“Nope!” Callum sat up in the water, pressing a silencing kiss to Ben’s mouth to stop the shameless innuendo about to spill from his boyfriend’s lips. “We’re going to enjoy this first. Besides, even as good as we are, we couldn’t hold the champagne whilst we’re you know.” 

Seeing the logic in his words, Ben nodded and settled down, remembering they had all weekend together, and turned to face Callum. He raised his glass up, tilting it towards Callum, who raised his own in return. 

“I love you so much babe,” Ben declared, smiling brightly. “Happy anniversary.” 

With a clink of their glasses, Callum echoed the sentiment, adding in a press of his lips to Ben’s, letting them taste the champagne in each other’s mouths. 

Time ticked by, becoming meaningless as they sat close and talked and laughed, singing along with the playlist and sipping their champagne until the bottle was empty and they were giggling tipsily, kept warm by the bubbling of the jacuzzi. The sky darkened, the fairy lights seeming brighter as they illuminated their little bubble. 

“Time to get out Cal, we’re all wrinkly,” Ben sighed into Callum’s chest, which he had been using as a pillow. Callum let out a small groan. 

“No, stay here. It’s nice,” Callum mumbled, tightening his grip around Ben’s waist. Ben laughed at him, pulling out of his grip and standing up, urging Callum with him. Their bodies felt like jelly, limbs loose and wobbly from alcohol and comforting warmth. 

Once out, they headed towards the back door of the cottage, for the warmth of the cottage, when Callum stopped suddenly, pulling on Ben’s arm. 

“Ben! Ben it’s our song!” He babbled excitedly, pressing a finger to Ben’s lips and the other to his own ear. 

Ben concentrated on the sound, and eventually made out the tones of Tom Walker’s Wait For You. He smiled when they reached his ears, and grinned wide when Callum darted over to the sound system to turn it up, making it clearer for Ben. 

“Ben Mitchell,” Callum said when he returned to Ben, a hand hovering between them. “Will you dance with me?” 

The cold of the air on his wet skin vanished, replaced with the overwhelming warmth of love for Callum. His beautiful, kind, perfect Callum. 

“Yes,” He answered, taking the hand and allowing Callum to pull him close, their bodies moving to the music. Both began to sing, the lyrics that were almost too fitting embedded in their brains since they first heard the song. 

_I know it's hard for you to talk  
Bare your soul and open up  
I will wait for you, I will wait for you  
Can't pretend to understand  
I'll be here to hold your hand  
I will wait for you, I will wait for you _

“I love you Callum Highway.” Whispered between them, a secret and a promise. 

“I love you Ben Mitchell.” Returned, effortless and enduring, easy as breathing.

_I've never met someone as strong as you  
I've never met someone as loved as you  
I've never met someone like you  
I've never met someone like you_

__

__

_'Cause only you could make this into something beautiful  
Only you could make a bitter song so sweet  
And I can't pretend to understand  
But I'll be here to hold your hand  
I will wait for you, and oh, I will wait for you _

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading! 
> 
> Please feel free to leave a comment or kudos, they are always welcome. 
> 
> Have a great day!


End file.
